"Overambitious Parents Ban Parenting"

Unni Drougge is a Swedish journalist, author, and social commentator known for her sharp wit and fearless exploration of controversial societal topics. With a background in psychology and a long career in media, she has written numerous novels and opinion pieces, often challenging modern norms, especially around parenting, relationships, and power structures in society. Her voice is both provocative and thoughtful, aiming to spark dialogue and reflection.

In this thought-provoking piece, journalist and author Unni Drougge critiques modern parenting and society's shifting attitudes toward children and authority. She argues that today’s children are more overprotected than ever while simultaneously being granted adult rights and freedoms. This paradox, she suggests, has led to increased anxiety, aggression, and instability among youth, while adults have lost the authority to guide and discipline effectively.

The article uses the debate over children in fine dining restaurants as a symbol for a broader societal confusion. Drougge points out how parents often expect their misbehaving children to be treated with the same respect as adults, without teaching them the responsibilities and boundaries that come with that respect. Attempts by others to correct such behavior are frequently met with outrage from parents rather than reflection or support.

Drougge also discusses how the fear of being seen as authoritarian has weakened the adult role in raising children, and how any perceived infringement on a child's autonomy is seen as a violation of rights. She warns that by avoiding real parenting and removing necessary structure, we risk creating a generation ill-prepared for the realities of the world.

Her conclusion is stark: in striving to protect children from discomfort and criticism, parents may be raising a generation that is not only emotionally fragile but potentially dangerous — because they were never truly taught how to be children.

Link: "Overambitious Parents Ban Parenting"  In Swedish